The neighbors took the lead in planning for a Sound Transit station. Then came developers, followed by the city leaders who are pushing aside the plans of the residents. It's an instructive tale of zoning politics, and the pressure to crowd too many people around transit stations.
Revolutions, disasters, crime: All get our attention. But what about the quieter actions that affect our lives much more directly?
The Seattle ethics commission takes up social-media guidlines for elected officials. Just imagine a time when we could Tweet our tunnel vote, pay our toll through an embedded chip and still have time to read our neighbors' trivial FB status updates.
The tireless Delridge neighborhood activist fought for libraries, community centers, and other services for decades, refusing to bow to power. She died recently at 90, and a standing-room-only crowd gathered to celebrate her life and work.
Seattle's contract with its officers explains a lot about the power police wield over their own conduct. But we've elected leaders expecting them to guide the affairs of the city, including its most expensive department.
